Eco home innovations from Mitsui

Written by: Rebecca Milner on July 2, 2008 at 11:59 pm | In Fashion & Lifestyle Trends, Technology & Gadget Trends | No Comments

From June 26, major developer Mitsui Home will begin offering an eco-friendly construction option that will reduce yearly home CO2 emissions by up to 42% compared to standard home construction practices.

The design employs energy efficiency measures such as using 2×6 beams instead of the usual 2×4 and argon gas filled windows in order to improve insulation, plus a low energy-loss ventilation system. The resulting energy efficient home would produce only 998kg of CO2 gas a year, sparing the efforts of the equivalent of 74 Japanese beech trees to absorb the CO2 and saving 349 liters of gas.

The plan is available for homes more than 42 tsubo (3.31 square meters) at a cost of 25,000 per tsubo.

Japan has the technology to push construction in general to the next level, as exemplified by the model for the Eco&Ud house (pictured below) Panasonic released in 2006 and the almost C02-free model house created in cooperation with more than 50 companies on display at this summer’s G8 summit in Hokkaido; however, we hope that plans like the one above from Mitsui Homes will mean more environmentally conscious development for the mainstream population rather than just showcase pieces.

Meanwhile, Mitsui Real Estate Residential is releasing the “Save Earth Display” in cooperation with Tokyo Gas from July 1. The device shows the energy consumption level (and cost) from your home gas use and is based on the idea that being aware of your energy use tends to lower consumption by 5-10%.

The indicators will be first introduced at the Park Homes residential complex in Meguro and gradually make appearances in new developments around Tokyo. With slogans like “Save Earth” (and a product debuting in fashionable Meguro no less) and Mitsui Home’s “Make LOHAS with Mitsui Home” these new projects tap nicely into the trendy eco boom.

Tags: development, Eco, LOHAS, Mitsui Home, Mitsui Residential
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